Elevator safety lock or grip.



No. 837,546. PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906.

H. A. CLIFFORD.

ELEVATOR SAFETY LOCK 0R GRIP. APPLICATION FILED emu. 12. 1905.

ZNESSES, I 7 7 1V1V7'0.

HERSEY A. CLIFFORD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR SAFETY LOCK OR GRIP- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4:, 1906.

Application filed September 12, 1905. Serial No. 278,197.

use on freight or other elevators, thereby preventing the accidentalloss of life or property.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lock or grip forelevators which shall prevent a person on any other floor from the onewhere the cage or platform is being used from pulling the shipping-lineand thereby causing untold injury or harm in many ways by starting theelevator up or down without due notice to the party using it, it being awell-known fact that the majority of accidents resulting in loss of limbor life and prop erty 011 freight elevators particularly are caused bythe premature starting of the same instead of there being any breakingof the elevator mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device that shall besmall enough to be placed in the various small spaces left be tween thecage or platform and the timbers of the elevator-shaft and also to placethe device out of the way of loaded trucks and so it will not interferewhen the shippingline is joined to a small cable that operates theswitch of the motor in basements.

The most essential feature of my invention is it being so arranged thatit may be conveniently attached when the shipping-line is locatedimmediately at the corner of the cage or platform, as not more than oneinch is re quired beyond the shipping-line for the perfect action of mydevice, while in looks already in use a very much greater space isrequired. This look also requires no knots, buttons, or otherprotuberances 011 the rope or shippingline, as most locks require, butacts perfectly on the smooth line, leaving it free and clear, which isvery desirable, all obstructions of knots or other projections on theline being dangerous, and this look, furthermore, gives no frictionalwear upon the shipping-line or causes any damage to it.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination,and arrangements of parts for the above ends hereinafter fullyspecified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the lock or grip asit is applied to an elevator. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing thegrip-in an unlocked position. is a perspective view showing the devicein its locked position on the shipping-line. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection of the device. Fig. 5 is an inside View of the flap orlock-plate. Fig. 6 is a front view of the hinged end of the handle,showing the slot and the enlarged lower portion. Fig. 7 is a side viewof the hinged portion of the handle, showing the cam-shape rounded edgeand also the stop for the action of the handle when locked.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents any suitable standard or frameon the cage or platform of an elevator, where may be rigidly secured thearm or bar 2, that holds the lock or grip in its proper place orrelation to the shipping-line. The arm 2 is further secured by the brace3, the brace being bolted to the arm 2 near the lock and the other endto the frame 1, as shown, or fastened to any suitable place convenientlynear to hold the arm 2 rigid.

The construction shown is adapted for the support of my lock 011 mostelevators, but some elevators require different means for holding thelock. Therefore I do not limit myself to the method shown.

Fig. 2 represents the lock or grip-frame 4, which as constructedcomprises one side and top and bottom plates. The frame 4 is secured bybolts 6 to the arm 2. In the top and bottom plates on frames 4 there areopenings or recesses 5 to guide and lock orgrip the shipping-linen Theseopenings or recesses do not quite cross the upper and lower plates, inso much as it leaves a portion to form a rib in each plate, againstwhich the shipping-line is pressed, as will be hereinafter explained.The shipping-line may be rope, cable, or chain, and my lock worksequally well on each. Inside the lock or grip-frame 4 is hinged at 7 aflap or lock-plate 8, which has one or more ribs 9 to engage theshipping-line when it is locked. The handle 10 is so arranged that itsdivided end has a wide curved cam-base 11 and the central slot 12 toreceive the end of the connecting-rod 14, the

Fig. 3

bolt 13 joining the handle 10 to the connecting-rod 14, on which swingsthe handle 10, preferably througha slot 15 (though anyform of openingmay be used) in the arm 2 and the lock or grip-frame 4 and then throughthe lockplate 8. The connecting-bar 14 is constructed, preferably, of aflat shape where it passes through the frame and into the handle 10, andby the oblong shape of the slot 15 the action of the handle 10 is alwaysin the same plane, as in the construction shown, though theconnecting-rod may be round and may pass througha round hole, and thusallow the handle to turn around. The other end of the connecting-rod 14is made round and a thread 16 is placed thereon, and on this thread twolock-nuts 17 are placed, the thread 16 on the connecting-rod 14 beinglong enough to allow for adjustment by the nuts 17 to gripdifferent-sized shipping-lines. The spring 18 on the connecting-rod 14is to throw the flap or lock-plate away from the shipping-lineand tohold the handle 10 up while out of action.

Fig. 3 represents the lock or grip-frame with the shipping-line 19 heldin the opening 5 and the flap or look plate 8, which engages theshipping-line when the handle 10 is turned so the cam is in action,drawing the flap or lock-plate 8 against the shipping-line withsufficient power to lock the shipping-line between the ribs 9 on thelock-plate and the ribs 20, formed by the rear edge of the recess ,5.The slotted end of the handle-bar 10 being made flat, as shown at 21,comes against the bar 2 when in unlocked position. The curved slottedportion of the handle-bar is made wider to present a'greaterwearing-surface, as shown at 22. The points of the handle 23 (shown inFigs. 2, 3, 6, and 7) at the end of the curve are greater distance fromthe bolt 13, where the action of the handle takes place, than theremaining portion of the curve. This point 23 is to furnish a stop forthe movement of the handle in its locked position and also to increasethe action of the cam up to the stopping-point.

I claim- 1. In a device of the character described, a frame, means forholding the frame rigidly to the iron or timbers of an elevator by amember and a brace, a lock-plate movably connected to the frame, meansfor gripping the frame and the lock-plate about lines of various sizesor different constructions, sub stantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame, a movable lock-plateacting with the frame, a handle, means for binding the frame and thelock-plate by the action of the handle, and means for limiting themovement of the handle by its shape, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame havingopenings forthe movement of a shipping-line, and ribs for engaging theshipping-line, a flap or lock-plate movably attached to the frame andadapted to hold the shipping-line in the opening of the frame, and meansfor locking or gripping the lockplate and the shipping-line against theframe, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame having ribs, amovable lock-plate secured thereto, a connecting bar or rod adjustablysecured to said lock-plate, and means by which the plate looks a lineagainst the rib or ribs on the frame, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, a frame, amovable lock-platetherein, a camlever or handle, an adjustable connecting-rod, and thespring between said lock-plate and frame to cause the plate toautomatically release the line upon the unlocking of the handle, and tosecure the handle in its unlocked position so it cannot turn of itselfagainst the action of the spring, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a frame, a movable lock-platesecured thereto, a connecting-bar passing through and adj ustablyconnecting the lock-plate and the frame about a line, and means forholding the lockplate in one or more positions, substantially asdescribed.

7 In a device of the character described, a frame, a member attached atone end and acting with the frame, between which a shippingline acts,and means for gripping a shippingline at any position within the travelof the cage or platform operated by a double cambearing handle,substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, a frame, a movable memberacting in conjunc tion with the frame, a slotted or double cam handle,means for gripping rope, cable, chains, or other lines by the action ofthe handle between the frame and movable member, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing wit- IIGSSGS.

HERSEY A. CLIFFORD. Witnesses:

K. LooKwoon NEVINS. CHARLES B. HEBRON.

